Twilight Time Blu-ray Release: The Young Lions and The Night of the Generals

The reason why I'm doing a double review instead of the two
as single reviews because I first saw these back in 1995 as a double feature.
There was a war movie marathon at the local theater and these two played back
to back and so I thought it would be fitting to display them together. Twilight
Time Blu-ray has released both on a special edition Blu-ray of 3000 units
produced. Both of these films have never looked any better. Never sounded any
better. There both crisp in imagery, clear in sound. One vibrant in
black-and-white beauty and the other vibrant in color.

Both are truly classic films that should be seen and
respected by this modern generation of film lovers. It surprises me that
neither of these have had a Blu-ray release until now. Twilight Time did a
lovely job in mastering new outlets for both of these films. Both films dealing
with a pivotal moment in time and in history of World War II and Nazi Germany.

Both feature films have iconic actors in both of them. Each
one displayed with an ensemble cast of excellence and mastery in performing.

First we will speak of The Young Lions

Plot: Product Description: A World War II epic, The Young
Lions (1958), based on the Irwin Shaw best-seller, interweaves the stories of
three soldiers: an apolitical German (Marlon Brando) caught up in a conflict he
doesn’t understand, a Jewish American (Montgomery Clift) forced to suffer
anti-Semitism from his fellow servicemen, and a sophisticated coward (Dean
Martin) forced into war against his will.

My Review and Thoughts:

Film: 5/5

I mean what can be said describing the cast in this film
other than brilliant. The ever flawless Marlon Brando. Brando gives one of his
greatest performances in cinema. In The Night of the Generals, Peter O'Toole's
plays a sadistic, ruthless Nazi who has been changed by the horrors of war to
be a madman. In The Young Lions, Brando plays the Nazi that tries to be good
and is against some of the horrors taking place, but as the war moves forward,
his attitude, and emotional reality slowly unravels and changes. His character
is a prime example of building a character in cinema to be remembered. Brando
executes this with mastery, and what was his dynamic art of creating flawless
characterizations of fictional individuals, simply put, bringing them to life as
believable.

This also stars the total music, and acting guru of the
original Rat Pack, Dean Martin. Two amazing and iconic performers, Lee Van
Cleef and Maximillian Schell, if those three don't pull you in then the one and
only, sexy, handsome, and passionate actor Montgomery Clift should seal the
deal. I should not have to say anymore. It's so hard to believe Clift died at the
young age of 45. This performance as the American Jew, love struck and drafted
into the war, is one of Clift's defining career performances. His character is
picked on and made fun of and ridiculed. In this sense it shows you hatred and
bigotry for the Jews was not just Nazi Germany, but many people including
Americans.

Now this also stars some stunningly gorgeous, true ladies
of cinema, Barbara Rush, Hope Lange and May Britt. Three amazing leading
ladies. Sexy and true goddesses of cinema.

This film also has many small parts and cameo appearances.
One such is L.Q. Jones in an uncredited role. He was a true legend in the world
of cinema starring in many films by the iconic legend Director, the one and
only Sam Peckinpah. Jones was stable in the bad guy and character actor role.
He seemed to own the 70’s and 80’s appearing in countless films. He also was a
writer and producer for many films. His most notable acting role is in the film and classic masterpiece, The Wild Bunch (1969). He also directed and adapted the
screen play for the cult film, A Boy and his Dog (1975). He was one of those
actors you might not know his name but you know his face and that is the
reality he holds. He also was responsible for the 1971 low budget horror film,
Brotherhood of Satan, which was written, produced and yes starring him.

The Young Lions is directed by Edward Dmytryk. Another master director probably
most famous for Film Noirs of the 40's. He was a skilled director that brought
many amazing pieces of cinema to the public. He also directed the Oscar
nominated 1954's The Caine Mutiny.

He worked with Marlon Brando several times. Sadly he was one
of the directors that was blacklisted in Hollywood during the asinine McCarthy
era Red Scare, where he was sent to jail. The Young Lions is one of his
defining achievements of cinema.

This is based on the 1948 novel by Irwin Shaw. Shaw was a
powerful writer. His talent is grand and if you’re a reader I highly recommend
you look up his work and read his amazing prose.

There's a frightening shot in The Young Lions, where Brando is walking in the
bombed out city, debris everywhere. A small child, on crutches with only one
leg struggling to maneuver over the debris, this moment gives a stunning and disturbing and emotional moment of cinema history.

The Young Lions is filled with great special effects and war
time violence through costumes and sets. The whole film is a moving piece of
war time cinema.

Audio/Video: 5/5

I know I say this often and it seems I am repeating myself
but I have to give accolades where it is deserved and this is another prime
example of how to treat a film. Twilight Time gave it an excellent transfer and sound on a
new fresh Blu-ray outlet. A great product of sound and video.

LANGUAGE: English

VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 2.35:1

AUDIO: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA

SUBTITLES: English SDH

Extras: 4/5

Isolated Score Track. Like so many of the releases by
Twilight Time you get this fantastic experience of just listening to the music
by itself. This I found amazing because it’s by a wonderful musician that truly
gave a gift to this film. Hugo Friedhofer was a true master and spectacular
music god that left the world of cinema with such memorable scores. All one has
to do is look at his career and understand the master that he was. The Young
Lions is one of those powerful scores that will always stand the test of time.

Audio Commentary with Film Historians Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo
and Nick Redman. This special feature is like a true orgy of excellence. Three
powerful film historians that know there stuff and ain’t afraid to show it. An
excellent audio commentary.

Original Theatrical Trailer

You also get the wonderful Film Booklet by Julia Kirgo which
I always state is utterly fantastic to read.

Next up The Night of the Generals.

Plot: Product Description: Anatole Litvak directs and Sam
Spiegel produces The Night of the Generals (1967), an unusual World War II
crime thriller about a Nazi investigation into the murder of a prostitute.
Major Grau (Omar Sharif) finds himself focusing on three suspects: the Generals
Tanz (Peter O’Toole), Kahlenberg (Donald Pleasence) and Seydlitz-Gabler
(Charles Gray) – all three of whom, it seems, are also involved in a plot to
kill Hitler.

My Review and Thoughts:

Film: 4/5

I think the one that stands out the most is the one and only
true cinematic genius, the dynamic Peter O'Toole needs no write up. His
performance as Tanz is something to remember and never forget. In this he is a
neat freak, and his attitude and persona and facial expressions are something
cinematic. Omar Sharif as Grau is extremely powerful. The ever gifted Donald
Pleasence creates a striking persona as Kahlenberge. Charles Gray as Gabler is
utterly flawless. The stunningly gorgeous Joanna Pettet as the main female
lead. Tom Courtenay as Hartman. Courtenay has always been one of my favorite actors. Courtenay's defining achievement was in the 1963 Billy Liar. The Night of the Generals is weaved with total acting excellence that stands out above and beyond so many
other films. A cinematic collection of classic performers.

There is a powerful scene in this where they are forcing out and rounding up the people from the buildings and Peter O'Toole is standing erect in his
car as the flames are burning the buildings down, and they're blowing up others
with tank fire. Peter just stands there, erect, posture like a brick wall and
his emotionless features is truly haunting. Peter's character is creepy,
mysterious and filled with insanity. A truly emotional reality.

Directed by another amazing film creator, Director, producer
and writer Anatole Litvak. Responsible for some great cinema, including 1940’s
All This, and Heaven Too, 1948’s The Snake Pit, 1951’s Decision before Dawn,
1956’s Anastasia, and many others. The Night of the Generals has all the flare
of masterly direction, that he was known for.

Audio/Video: 3/5

This, like The Young Lions is another prime example of
clarity in sound and video. That is something I find so fascinating with the
Twilight Time Blu-ray’s. Not only are the disc themselves worthy to own, but
it’s the quality put into them that makes me giddy and happy and utterly in
amazement at the products. These two blu-ray’s, The Night of the Generals and
The Young Lions are both must own products for any lover of cinema.

LANGUAGE: English

VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 2.35:1

AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA

SUBTITLES: English SDH

Extras: 3/5

Isolated Score Track. Another treat. This is by
another music master Maurice Jarre. This like The Young Lions is another high
quality extra feature. I really love when Twilight Time is able to add this
feature for the simple fact, music is important in film. It drives the reality
of the film. It brings out the emotions and changing of the situations. Plus I
am a huge music fan. Equally huge is my love for movie soundtracks. So Twilight
Time gives me the best of both worlds.

Original Theatrical Trailers

Yet again you get the wonderful booklet by Julia Kirgo. I
find these little booklets a wonderful thing to collect and reread every time I
watch the film. Great information as always.

Overall:

Two powerful, classic films. One a black and white and the
other a color. Both equally important pieces of war cinema, of cinema period.
Both filled with dynamic casts and special effects. Both told in the time
period of one of the worst times in history. Both bleeding reality with fiction
to bring forth the historical moments of World War 2.

The Night of the Generals gives off an experience of War
mixed with the emotional insanity and depravity of the Nazi mind. Peter
O’Toole’s performance is something that only legendary status can accomplish.
He owned that movie like he owned so many other films. He was the true masterly
art of performance.

Both The Night of the Generals and The Young Lions are
captured on film with directing excellence in the classic film form. The Night of
the Generals had lavish costumes, sets, explosions, fire, guns and vibrant
color clarity. The Young Lions was a deep character driven emotional film,
captured in Black and White and yet it to was so vibrant in its experience. It
didn’t need color to give the rich toned reality of its situations.

Twilight Time did a fantastic job bringing both of these classic powerhouses of cinema. A new wonderful transfer on Blu-ray. Audio and
Video, fresh and new for a modern generation to experience. Both these films, on
these limited edition Blu-ray's are highly recommended.

INFO:

Make sure you head over to www.screenarchives.com to buy all
the wonderful Twilight Time Blu-rays. The main page that gives you these
beautiful releases on top quality Special Editions.